A Tale Of Survival
by FantasyChick
Summary: Giles was in London during the Bombings. This is a repost. A month after the original bombings and when I first posted this fic.


_**Dedicated to those caught in the London bombings. Peace to them all, no matter who they are/were or will be.**_

**A/N:** _I'm sorry this fic has been offending some of you people, especially those who live in London._

_I would just like to point out that my Aunt is currently over there with my 3 almost 4 year old cousin; and when I first heard about the bombings I was worried sick. What Buffy and the others were feeling while they waited was exactly how I felt while waiting for news of them._

_So I am once again sorry for offending anyone but this was my way of working through the situation in a healthy way. If I could have gotten drunk I would have._

Title: **A tale of survival!**

Summary: Giles is in London during the blasts.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything!

_P.S. Can you spot the X-over characters?_

_**Buffy's Place **_

Buffy and the rest of the scoobies sat around the television in her room, eyes glued to the news. There had been bombings in London. Giles was in London. She hoped to the gods that he was alright, that he hadn't been one of those that had been caught in the blasts.

Buffy was sitting in the couch next to the phone waiting anxiously for some news from Giles. She had called his mobile, home and the Councils office phones as soon as she heard the first reports, but she had yet to get a reply. Dawn was curled up next to her, clutching her closely and clearly worried. Buffy could easily understand that as Giles was the only father figure that Dawn and Buffy had ever had.

In fact Giles had been a father to just about everyone in the room and especially to Willow and Xander who had never really been close to their own parents and who had gone to Giles for guidance many a times when they had been younger. Just like Joyce had been the Mother figure in all of her friends' lives.

Xander and Willow sat closely together, hugging each other tightly without shame. Kennedy who had never been that close to Giles watched as her girlfriend sought comfort with Xander with not a small amount of jealousy. Faith on the other hand sat on Robin's lap, his strong arms holding her close.

The news station was releasing very little details about what happened, instead stating that there had been too many bombs going off at the same time for them to be a coincidence and that there were reports of injuries but no reports of deaths yet.

Not long after that on the scene reporters had begun interviewing the survivors. There had definitely been deaths. Buffy closed her eyes and took some long deep breaths, trying to calm her racing heart. And then she did something she had never thought she would do ever again. She concentrated on the remembered feelings she had felt of when she'd been in heaven and prayed.

"Dear God thou who art in heaven hallowed be your name, please hear my plea! Please let the watcher and guardian of your chosen ones, Mr Rupert Harold Giles, be safe from harm wherever he may currently be so he can continue to guide us as we struggle in the fight against the darkness. And please guide those souls who were lost in the bombings to the comfort and peace of Heaven."

Buffy was unaware of the others in the room staring at her in shock or that she was surrounded by a bright light. She was however certainly aware of the warmth which caressed her skin as she felt a touch of peace that she hadn't felt since she'd been in Heaven.

Her slayer senses tingled and for the first time in years she felt the connection between herself and Giles that had been lost since she'd returned from the dead. Unconsciously she relaxed as she felt that her watcher was alive.

"Thank you' she whispered in a quiet gratitude. The presence gave her what felt like a hug then left. When she opened her eyes the light was gone without her even realising it had been there and Dawn, Willow and Xander saw something in Buffy's eyes that they hadn't realised had been missing.

They were sparkling and she looked almost giddy with happiness.

Before they could say anything though the phone rang and Buffy picked it up.

"Giles" she greeted the same time he spoke. "Buffy".

_**London, England **_

Rupert Giles had been just about to catch one of the trains at Kings Cross Station when he realised that he had forgotten his cellular phone at his hotel room. He hated the dratted thing but knew he should keep it on himself at all times in case of emergencies.

He was rushing out to leave the building and was nearing an exit when an explosion occurred, the force pushing him into a nearby wall. He had automatically held his arm out to brace for the impact and winced as he heard and felt his arm snap.

The station was in chaos. There were dead and injured nearby and half the people were standing around in shock while the other half were rushing from the building in panic.

Rupert felt himself on the edge of shock as well but then his watcher training and all of the instincts he had picked up from almost seven years on the Hellmouth kicked in. He began immediately ordering people around to designated tasks and they obeyed automatically, thankful that someone was taking control.

He asked for anyone with any type of medical training or first aid to look over the wounded while he got a group of healthy men and women to drag the injured and deceased away from the danger zone.

Someone found the first-aid supplies that the Station kept and a doctor who had been on holiday in London, a Doctor John Carter from America, took charge of the medical side and began triage. Rupert learnt that he'd been working in the emergency rooms at Chicago County General Hospital for years and was used to this kind of trouble.

Then the emergency services then arrived and everyone was taken to get medical help. Even after being patched up, his arm had been temporarily placed in a brace; Rupert rushed around helping where he could. He helped comfort adults and children alike, keeping the children occupied with stories.

Rupert was comforting a young boy whose mother had been knocked unconscious in the blast when he began telling a story he knew by heart. The boy, Michael, was sitting in Rupert's arms in a hug as he began his tale.

He told the tale of Buffy, the child version of course, and all that she and the others had gone through over the years. And as he talked he remembered.

He told of how Buffy had been chosen by the Heavenly bodies to be a warrior of the light. How she got rid of the monsters that lurked in the night and she sometimes even befriended some of the friendlier ones and he told of how Willow the computer genius and witch and Xander the mortal modern day knight helped her on her quest.

He even spoke of Anyanka the one thousand year old girl who had once been a demon, and of Spike the Vampire who had fought to gain a soul for love; both of whom had died as a champions for the light.

Rupert had fallen into some odd trance as he'd spoken and when he finished the tale over an hour later he was surprised to find that he was surrounded by children and adults who had gotten caught up in his words.

Michael was leaning against his chest sleepily when a woman with a bandage wrapped around her head came towards them. She smiled warmly at him in thanks than held her arms out to pick up Michael. The young boy woke up and seeing his mother, threw himself into her arms in relief and happiness.

The adults, who had children, came up to thank him one by one for the stories he had told and he blushed stuttering that it was no problem.

A couple of teenage girls, one a redhead and the other a blonde, who had also joined the group waited until the others had finished in their thanks before approaching him.

"Mr Giles?" The redhead asked.

"Yes?" He replied, wondering how they knew who he was.

"We,' the same one spoke, gesturing to her friend and herself, 'would like to thank you and gives our regards to Buffy and her friends for saving our lives."

"You're Slayers?" he asked surprised.

"Yes,' the blonde said 'I'm Luna Lovegood"

"And I'm Ginny Weasley."

"Thank You." They finished together, then turned in unison and left. They had reminded him of Willow and Buffy for moment.

Rupert was then called in by the doctor who had the X-rays back on his arm. They set it and put a cast on it. He left the hospital with numerous contact numbers from those who had also been at the Station.

As he was walking past an electronics store his eye was caught on the television and the news coverage of the events that had happened that morning.

"Oh bloody hell,' he swore when he realised that the news would have reached America by now. Buffy and the others would be worried sick about him. He made his way hurriedly to a nearby church which was also a safe house for the Watchers Council.

Father Darius, who ran the church, was standing at the candles of to the side which people used to light to remember others. There was another table set up with candles next to it with a sign underneath saying that those candles represented all of those currently dead from the recent bombings. A box next to it was set up for charity collections for the living victims or the victims surviving families.

"Father Darius" Rupert greeted him respectfully. The priest had been the one to help him back onto the right path after the Eyghon incident which had killed Randall when he was young and rebellious. He looked like he hadn't changed a bit since the last time he saw him.

"Rupert,' Darius greeted back warmly. Then he noticed how beat up Rupert appeared to be. "What happened?" He asked worriedly as he led Rupert to his office and poured him a cup of tea.

"I was one of those caught in the blast at the Station." Rupert replied. "I was hoping that I could use your phone to call some people who must be worried out of their wits by now."

"Of course," Darius agreed and moved the phone closer to his companion so he wouldn't have to reach over to far.

"Thank you." Rupert thanked him sincerely. He picked up the phone and rested it on his shoulder, holding it there with his head, while he began dialling with his free arm.

Darius was about to leave the room when he noticed the younger man stiffen in surprise and close his eyes. He was the only one to notice how the man was suddenly surrounded by a golden light and the look of peace which came over him.

Rupert had been shocked at first when his senses suddenly heightened and he automatically tensed. But then he felt a familiar connection that he hadn't felt in so long, the connection between a chosen watcher and his slayer, his Buffy.

Without realising it he spoke aloud the oath he had first spoken when he first became Buffy's watcher, the oath to protect guide and watch over the chosen one, the champion of the light on her path.

The connection grew stronger. He could sense her worry and instinctively sent her a mental hug, trying to comfort her. She sent one back which was tinged with relief.

He quickly dialled the rest of the numbers, and barely had time to grasp the receiver with his good hand, when it was answered.

"Buffy." "Giles" they spoke at the same time.

In Heaven, at the area designated to the arrival of the newly dead, stood Joyce Summers and her companion Spike welcoming the newly deceased souls. Next to them was a mirror pool which they were using to watch over those on earth.

"It's about bloody time,' Spike muttered as he watched Rupes and the Slayers reunite.

Joyce nodded in agreement then cuffed the now brunette man on the back of his head. "Watch your language,' she chided.

"Yes mother,' he pouted in return and poked his tongue out at her. They kept straight faces for about 5 seconds before they both broke out giggling.

The End


End file.
